Arch support



July 19, 1938.

J. PEIL ARCWSUPDPORT Filed Sept. 22, 1957 ZINVENTOR av whywia,

a W p ATTORNEYS Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARCH SUPPORT Joseph Pei], Detroit, Mich.

Application September 22, 1937, Serial No. 165,194

1 Claim. (01. 36-76) The invention relates to an arch support and more especially to an external adjustable arch supporter for footwear.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a supporter of this character, wherein the same is arranged externally of the footwear, either low or high shoes, at the arch area thereof and is susceptible of adjustment for the proper support of the arch of the foot when wearing the foot covering or footwear, being novel in its entirety and is readily and easily adjusted.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a supporter of this character, wherein the instep or arch area of a foot is properly supported and braced irrespective of any weakness in the footwear at such area thereby insuring comfort and relieving pain in that fallen arch is avoided during the wearing of the foot covering.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, which is simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation, conveniently applied to footwear, susceptible of easy adjustment congruous with the requirements in the use of the footwear and the arch irregularity of a wearer,

strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred and modified forms of embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a low shoe shown partly in section with the supporter constructed in accordance with the invention applied thereto being also in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the supporter.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation show ing a modified form of supporter.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, in the construction of the shoe exemplified at A, the same is made in the usual way, except that the arch area It] has embedded therein headed socket members II and I2, these being spaced apart with respect to each other and are located at the inner side of the shoe, while engageable in these members ii and I2 are screw-like fasteners l3 and M, respectively, these being threaded into said members and attach a tread piece IS in place, being clearances for accommodating the fasteners 13 and I4 with the heads i6 thereof counterseated within the piece iii. The piece l5 has a forward upwardly curved nose I! and an upturned perpendicularly disposed rear end l8.

The nose I! and the rear end l8 of the piece I5 have contact with a leaf spring 19 which 10 plays against the arched area Ill exteriorly of the shoe A being provided with elongated slots 20 forming clearances in the association of the members II and I2 and the fasteners I 3 and I4.

Threaded externally on the member I2 is a 15 retaining nut 2| holding the spring l9 engaged thereon yet allowing the spring to yield in the direction of its length.

On the piece l5 between it and the spring l9 intermediate thereof is an externally threaded 20 stem 22 on which is threaded a wrench-engaging nut 23 having a rounded contact 24 engageable with the spring i 9 forcing it under adjustment in contacting relation with the arch area it] of the shoe A and also effecting an arching of the spring l9 between its ends. 25

Surrounding the fastener I4 is a coiled tensioning spring 25 coactive against the piece l5 holding it against the head of said fastener M.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing there is shown a slight modification wherein the tread piece 26 is formed with bearings 21 carrying a nut-carrying bolt 28 on which is turnable an eccentric or cam 29 adapted for adjustment and contact with the spring 30, being a substitute for the nut 23.

The spring H1 or 30 can be raised under adjustment to meet the requirements of different arches to be supported by the supporter.

The said spring being innermost with respect 40 to the tread piece of the latter.

What is claimed is:

An arch supporter for footwear having an arch area comprising an inner spring member located next to the said arch area exteriorly of the foot 45 wear, a tread piece outwardly with respect to said spring member, means fastening the tread piece to the arch area and outwardly disposed to the spring member for terminal contact therewith, means carried by the tread piece and active 50 upon the spring member for raising the same, and a spring interposed between said tread piece and spring member and associated with the fastening means, the tread piece being formed with an up- JOSEPH PEIL. 

